Exploramania was created by Carrie Scheiner, who, as a parent was concerned about too much non-educational TV, and not enough exercise. Her passion for education and healthy lifestyle, commitment to her children's well being, and desire for more options for parents and educators grew into development of several multi-sensory learning products. You can read more about her story and inspiration here.

     For review, I received the first Exploracise Gymathtics DVD. It is a 30 minute workout teaching math and healthy lifestyle concepts while performing a complete exercise routine. The math facts target 2nd through 5th grades, but the exercise program is great for all ages.

   The complete Program (copied from the DVD cover) includes:

*Shape Stretches Warm Up - stretch your mind and body with line, circle, and polygon stretches

*Counting Calisthenics- Aerobic movements work your heart as fun counting concepts work your brain

*Pattern Power- Growing and repeating pattern exercise combinations challenge minds and strengthens muscles.

*Well Being Wind Down- Relaxing stretches cool down the body and open the mind to think about healthy lifestyle choices including the Nice Wave Stretch and BIG DREAM Stretch.

     You can see more detail of math concepts and actual photos of parts of the program here.

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So how did my family like this?

     As you can imagine, my girls ( 9 and almost 13) groaned when I explained we would be watching a math/exercise program. I think they might have envisioned Sesame Street counting with the big purple dinosaur singing cheesy songs. "Just give it a fair shake," I told them.

As I began, we noticed the music was upbeat and motivational, not annoying as they had imagined. But math facts?? Well, the inclusion of educational content on the side of the screen where the folks are performing the routine are well organized and easy to follow. The screen is colorful and well organized, and the voice of the exercise instructor is pleasant and energetic. All three kids thought it was a fun and upbeat video and exercise routine, but definitely geared for the younger set (elementary).

We don't even have a TV in our home, so too much screen time really isn't a problem. My girls spend a majority of their spare time outside riding horses or exploring our caliche cliffs, so exercise isn't much of a problem either. My three year old goes non-stop as well, although I was quite disappointed for a time last year when he became seemingly addicted to sitting watching cartoons at the babysitter's house. I can certainly say I understand Carrie's concern for too much tv and not enough exercise in our youth. While I'm so thankful our family has had the opportunity to provide our kids with 30 acres and a ranch full of critters to tend to in exchange for tv time, I know this is certainly not the norm in today's society. I love the idea behind Exploramania's mission as an alternative and healthy addition to families commited to their children's well being.

You can purchase this DVD for $24.99 by visiting the Exploramania  website. While you're there, be sure to check out some of the other neat products they have, including GyMathtics 2.0 dvd. In a personal message, Carrie stated that several new products will be rolling in over the next few months, so be sure to keep a watch for some fun and educational additions to your children's learning experience.

Visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews of this and other great homeschool products!

Chris

I received this DVD for review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. No other compensation was received, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"AVKO is a non-profit membership organization that focuses on the development and production of materials and especially techniques to teach reading and spelling, handwriting and keyboarding. AVKO is dedicated to teaching everyone how to read and spell, regardless of their mild to moderate learning disablities, dyslexia, poverty or opportunity. "

For review, I received a complimentary one year membership to the AVKO website. Upon visiting the website, I soon learned that the founder Don McCabe specializes in teaching dyslexics reading, spelling, writing, and keyboarding. He is the creator of Sequential Spelling which I had heard of before as a popular spelling program.

     I noticed many free and helpful materials on the website itself. But after logging in as a member, I began to look around at the many free e-books, articles, audio downloads, games, worksheets, and more that the $25.00 per year membership has to offer:

Benefits of AVKO Basic Membership

• Discounts on AVKO printed materials
• Hundreds of dollars worth of FREE e-books(PDF)
  • The Patterns of English Spelling (All 10 Volumes) with Word Families in Sentence Context
  • To Teach a Dyslexic
  • Starting at Square One
  • The Teaching of Reading & Spelling: a Continuum from Kindergarten through College.
  • The Reading Teacher's List of Over 5,500 Basic Spelling Words
• Access to the Member Only section
• AVKO Newsletter with freebies, discounts, resources, and promotions
• Access to Don McCabe's most popular workshop recordings in MP3 format.
• Supplemental Curriculum Materials including word games, worksheets, activities, and more!
• Access to Pretests and Placement Tests
• Access to the Answer Keys for the Unscramblers and Family Reunion exercises of the Engaging Language Kits

American Heritage Education Foundation website

*Product: America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty resource CD

*Cost: FREE ($150.00 value) CD or download from website, or $19.50 per level in printed binder format.

*Grade Level: K-12

 The PDF file contains Elementary, Elementary in spanish, Middle School and High School volumes.

    As a part of the TOS Crew, I was sent America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty K-12 lesson plan resource CD for review. I was already familiar with the American Heritage Education Foundation website.  I admire and appreciate their fierce dedication to equip tomorrow's leaders with not only the information to be productive citizens in society, but the knowledge and understanding of our forefather's Christian character that brought our great country into existence.

     As a military homeschooling family, we certainly agree with the themes of freedom, unity, progress, and responsibility that AHEF promotes. You can read their philosophy and how it came about here.

     I certainly appreciate that this material is being provided to educators for FREE, and surely hope it is taught with the vigor and fortitude with which it is intended. While it is not truly a Christian-based curriculum, the Christian character on which our country was founded has certainly been addressed. Intended for public school use, it can easily be adapted for homeschool use, and would be an excellent resource for coops.

    This resource has some very complete and well structured theme units for supplement of a regular history program. The lessons would be great for use as individual unit studies as well.

   Our family is not currently studying American History, as we have covered the founding of America, colonists, and early US history up through the Revolutionary War in quite a bit of detail in the past. We have also taken time to cover American symbols, our American flag, and the importance of patriotism with our children in great depth as a military family, and in scouts. We spent so much time with this I felt it was necessary to take a break to cover world history for awhile. I had planned to include AHEF supplemental resources as we started back into US history again, and after viewing the CD, I'm anxious to get back into it!  

     I printed off the unit on Thanksgiving for the girls to do as independent study this week. The materials include a handout "History of Thanksgiving Day", and a comprehension/discussion sheet with vocabulary words and questions to answer,as well as a crossword puzzle. They will work together to plan a Thanksgiving celebration, identifying foods they would like to eat, and combining it with our Nutrition study. The object for this unit is for the student to recognize and understand the origin and the meaning of Thanksgiving day. The theme for this unit is unity, and it's importance is in understanding that Thanksgiving began as a celebration among all of the people in the new nation as a blessing of a full harvest, and as a time when people united to share their bounty with others in the community.

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  The material is broken up into 14 well structured teachable units, each reflecting on one or more of the four base themes of freedom, unity, progress, and responsibility. There are suggestions for months to complete each unit to help schedule them into your curriculum.  Included are games, fun activities, many printables such as crossword puzzles, reading comprehension questions, color sheets, charts to fill out, and more. Each level can be used together with the same basic information expanded for upper levels.

The units include:

When I first started homeschooling about 6 years ago, some of the first resources recommended to me were websites where you can search and find worksheets and supplemental learning material concerning just about any subject you want to cover. Abcteach was one of those websites, and while I was impressed with the 5,000 worksheets available on the website free of charge, a fellow homeschooling mom showed me how much more was available through her membership (35,000 worksheets, plus!), and I was hooked. After the first couple of years of homeschooling, though, I found we really were moving in a different direction and I really never searched or printed anything we didn't already have included in our materials. The first couple of years, though, I did have a preschool/kindergartener and the extra material was really helpful.

Abcteach is a great resource for preschool through 8th grade, and they add new material weekly. I really enjoy having access to some great seasonal and holiday printables. They have fabulous worksheet generators, and you can make anything from crossword puzzles to handwriting sheets.  Just scroll down and check out the abctools worksheet generator!

I was pleased today to read in the member newsletter that they have now added Getty-Dubay italics to their fonts, as well as another different one they hadn't included before. On occasion I see my 9 year old with some odd looking characters on her paper, and have wished I still had the handwriting worksheet software program on my computer that I used to have. Since we use Getty-Dubay handwriting, I can now just print up a practice sheet whenever I see that handwriting slipping a bit!They really do add great stuff to the website all the time. They are also always open for suggestions.

Since we are studying ancient Greece, I was thrilled to run into some Greek recipes that had math word problems with them. I thought they added a little something different to our study time, and we were looking for a couple of easy greek recipes to try with our study.

I am especially thrilled to be able to have the membership again since my preschooler is really interested in doing "school" this year. He has been overjoyed to have his own worksheets to do. We are doing "letter of the week", and there are so many different choices of things to do. Somedays he just wants to do one, somedays he keeps asking for more.

For moms needing some extra math practice sheets, extra materials for little ones, or extra worksheets on something you are currently studying for workboxes or even to show curious relatives or fill portfolios, abcteach is a great resource. Take a look at their video tour to get a visual for yourself.

After my free one month TOS Crew membership was expired, I found I could definitely still benefit from the membership, so I took advantage of a great deal to continue it for a year. You can take advantage of a great deal too, over at Homeschool Buyer's Coop. They are offering a 50% discount off the normal $40.00 yearly membership through the end of November!  You can also get a two year membership on the website for $70.00.

While worksheets and extra printables aren't for everyone, this is a great resource for those who do utilize this type of learning in their families and homeschools, or have little ones always needing something to do.

As always, don't forget to check out what my Crewmates over at the TOS Crew blog think!

Chris

I was given access to abcteach for one month at no charge for purposes of writing this review. No other compensation was given. Opinions expressed here are my own.

First things first. You'll be needing this link! 

*Okay let me just make this disclaimer right from the start:

I LOVE Virginia Soaps and Scents

     I'm a homeade/natural soap fan (addict) from way back. I had  purchased rich natural handmade soaps for several years from a soap artist back home, but have been unable to get them anymore for almost a year now. I've tried some from the health food stores and such, but they've not really been the same, and much too expensive to use on a regular basis.

     I used to tell that soap artist that when I got out a brand new bar of lavender soap, I felt like a kid unwrapping the silver wrapper on a fresh new Hershey bar! I missed that feeling when I could no longer get her soap. When I learned of Virgina Soaps and Scents I was pretty sure that the Crew had been given this opportunity soley as an answer to my fervent prayers for a new soap artist.  **grin**

     I've not stalked the mailman or run to the mailbox (partly because my mailbox is now about a half mile down the drive,LOL) this crewyear as I did last year...well, until now. The day I received that package I think I could hear music from the heavens!

     We opened our package to find the most adorable personalized "Soap Sampler Designed especially for the Old Schoolhouse Crew", along with a sweet note and pamphlet telling the Spargur family story. The product labels are the cutest handcrafted gingham checked design, and the soaps are beautiful! The products are made from all natural oils, fragrances and colors by the Spargur family in their own home.

     You see the story behind the creation of this magnificent company is every bit as captivating and inspiring as the soap masterpieces themselves. This homeschooling family began this whole adventure as a unit study on Colonial Williamsburg! You can check out the stories and artists behind VSS on their website. Everything they use is created with their own hands, from the molds and tools, to the beautiful labels they print! Amazing!!

     **We received 3 "bed and breakfast" sized 1.75 oz. pure handcrafted soap bars in coconut lemongrass, oatmill milk and honey, and fresh orange, a 2.25 oz Ginger Lime shampoo bar, and a soap laundry kit.

     I had never heard of a shampoo bar before, so was really anxious to try it out. It was interesting and a different experience for each person in our family with all different hair types. I really love it for my 3 year old who always seems to have that "sweaty" smell. No longer ! That hair stays clean and fresh for longer now! My 9 year old has very thin "always messy" hair, and the shampoo bar works great for her too. For my oldest, the regular bar didn't work at all because her hair is so very thick, long and heavy/oily. But after I ordered the Oily hair/clarifying shampoo bar (more on that later), she is loving using it with her claryfying shampoo off and on. I love it in my own hair. I do rotate it with my regular shampoo sometimes, though, because my hair is also very thick and long and it sometimes looks oily. I don't have to use conditioner at all, though with the shampoo bar. The oily hair/clarifying bar works very well on my hair, and smells just awesome!

     On to the laundry soap. I'm just absolutely THRILLED to have been blessed with this resource for my homeade laundry soap. I heated the grated soap bar with the amount of water it required, added the premeasured packages of borax and washing soda, added the rest of the water and let it gel. Just as I had heard, this homeade soap cleans the clothes so much better than any detergent I've ever used! My laundry is soooo squeaky clean, smells amazing and even costs less (much less, actually)!

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After receiving the review soap sampler and enjoying them so much, my girls and I spent much time looking over the website.  

     I just couldn't wait to order more from these fabulous folks. I had decided VSS will certainly make my Christmas shopping easy this year, and this could be the first year ever to be finished with my Christmas shopping in October! But, we were so excited to try out so many of the other products that we decided to put in a family order first. I ordered several more laundry bars so I might continue making my own laundry soap. The laundry soap comes in premade packages with the bar, borax and washing soda all pre-measured ($4.95 or 6 kits for $25.00- one kit makes 2 gallons!) , or they sell a 9 oz (or two 4.5 oz bars depending on Richelle's mood!)  laundry "lardbar" ($3.95) to go with borax and washing soda you can purchase locally yourself. It took me quite a lot of looking ,but I finally found washing soda, so I'm all fixed up now! I just can't say enough about how clean and fresh my laundry is now!!

     There are several options for purchase of the soaps. Single bars are $4.50, 3 bars for $12.00, or buy 4 get one free. We took advantage of the 10 bars for $35.00 offer since there were so many we wanted to try. (We really wanted to order 20, but finally decided on only 10 this time around!)  Believe me, you'll have a terrible time deciding which of their magnificent masterpieces you want to try first!! We did include all three of the holiday scents (wild bayberry, pumpkin spice and peppermint) in our order and they are unbelievable!

     We also ordered more shampoo bars. These 5.5 ounce bars are $5.50 each, or we took advantage of the 2 bars for $10.00 offer since we knew we wanted 2 of the oily hair/clarifying tangerine/grapefruit bars. We also went ahead and ordered the other two regular shampoo bars- coconut lemongrass and cherry almond (Tayt's favorite!).

     In our soap order we included the three All-in-one bars. They are for shampoo, shower and shave, and are our very favorite scents! The "Waltzing Matilda" is Morgan's and my favorite, because it has the scent of Victoria's Secret Lovespell which I've loved for years. The Kiddiwink bar is my next favorite because it is an unscented base full of a "confetti" of the leftovers from other bars, and it's adorable and a "new adventure" each time you use it. Of course I had a difficult time narrowing down the rest of my order, and while I wanted to order "violets and lace" which is noted as Richelle's favorite, I didn't end up with it on my order. Not to worry, she included an itty bitty sample with a cute little label! (How'd she know??LOL) I can see a future order containing several violets and lace!! It's out of this world!

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     They have many other products such as lip balm, linen spray, body powders, shaving kits, and even pet soap (which we originally had in our shopping cart, but decided to put on hold until next order!) They even have fundraising opportunities.

     This has been without a doubt my favorite experience with the TOS Crew. This family has been such an inspiration and joy to me. What an incredible testimony they are both to our homeschooling community and to our world in need of such an example: students, craftsmens, artists, and a loving, caring, supportive family. I thank you for generously allowing me this opportunity to experience your world! May God Bless you!

Now go wash behind those ears...

Chris

Virginia Soaps and Scents has graciously provided me a sampling of their products free of charge as a member of the TOS Crew for review purposes. No further compensation was received. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Bible Timeline

As a member of the TOS Crew, I was sent a Bible timeline to review. I looked forward to receiving this product after reading about it on the website since we studied about Egypt last year, and this year we are doing studies on Old Testament history and Greece. 

The first shipment I received arrived in a triangular cardboard tube, but it had been folded in half and crushed. The map had a large crease down the center which made the eensy-weensy words very difficult to read. I contacted the company,  because I thought they would want to know this about their product for review purposes, and they sent me another right away, showing their good customer service.

Upon receiving the second map, I unrolled it to find a huge 38" X 46" sturdy poster labeled "World History Chart in accordance with Bible Chronology- showing in colors the descendents of Shem, Ham and Japheth." As I began looking over it, I thought how very cool it was to be seeing these events and people who lived simultaneously. I was pleased that the timeline started at 4004 B.C. and as I followed it around, saw 2000 A.D. on up to 3000 A.D. 

As my girls and I studied our Old Testament history and Greece, we had fun looking at the timeline, and getting accustomed to following the lines around. It was really neat to see it all in perspective, there together on the timeline, comparing different family lines and cultures at the same time.

I'm no history buff. Names and dates are NOT my specialty. But I do enjoy putting events and people together, especially now that I have had the opportunity to learn HIStory with my children. For every subject I study or teach that is not my own specialty (history is one of those), I am bound by trust to my resources. I have taught my girls the importance of researching and finding trustworthy references.

When I received an email from the company "clearing up" some confusion of concerns by fellow crewmates, my red flags went up.

As my commitment and obligation to post an honest and fair review, I will state my opinions as follows:

*I am no expert in Bible theology, or world history.

*I am a Christian, and I believe the Bible is God's word and 100% true, and Jesus Christ is His son sent from heaven to die for our salvation. 

*It is my obligation to guide my children in the knowledge and footsteps of Jesus Christ, presenting them with accurate and factual study material.

*This timeline claims to be a "Christian" resource, based on the Bible. While I see many accurate references to scripture, I also find questionable references to non-Biblical material that isn't listed on the Bibliography . The authors admitted mistakes, mishaps, and events occuring relating to the creation of this resource. They made it clear that this was a non-denominational resource, yet the Book of  Mormon was referenced. They do have a LDS version available. 

*While I feel parts of the timeline are useful, I don't feel my knowledge base is broad enough to  discern for myself if there might be other inaccuracies, therefore, we won't be using the timeline anymore.

Other families, however, might find it useful and acceptable.

The Amazing Bible Timeline sells for $29.97 plus shipping and handling. They offer free bonuses with purchase, and they offer a money back guarantee. Check it out here if you wish.

Chris

I received the Amazing Bible Timeline free of charge as a member of the TOS Crew for review purposes. Opinions expressed here are my own. Please visit the Crew website to read what my crewmates think!

   I must be among a small minority who had never heard of workboxes. With all the building and moving chaos happening the end of last school year and throughout the summer, I guess I missed out on the craze. Or maybe I just never ran into it because I don't pay much attention to scheduling and organizational tips. I spend hours upon hours researching and praying over which materials will work best for each child in my own family, and then go with those. We stack our materials in crates and they go through the next lesson each day. I could never really figure out why it would be necessary to waste my time writing down their next lesson. Just open the book where you left off. Do what we're ready for, and don't move on until it's understood. Kind of hard to write that on a schedule. We also do many subjects together, in which I open up the manual to the next page, and read or lead a discussion either around our table or piled up on the bed. We spend as little as 5 minutes on some things, and have been known to continue for weeks on others, adding impromptu field trips and grabbing my college textbooks for further discussion sometimes! Kind of hard to put that on a schedule too, LOL.  

       Since we've moved into our new house, and we have a bit of a different setup for schoolwork this year ( together days are Mon, Wed, and Friday, and independent studies are Tues and Thurs), I was open minded to review Sue Patrick's Workbox System.  Since I hadn't really seen much discussion on the system proir to this, I felt I could give the system a fair go. My initial impression, though, was quite jaded when I learned that she matter-of-factly states that the system should be layed out exactly as she shows because she knows what works and what doesn't.  LOL, sounded like one of the reasons that top my list for avoiding public schools to me, because we all know every child in every household learns differently, and every family is different as well. But onward I walked, trying to keep that open mind.

     I received Sue Patrick's Workbox System User's Guide ebook. Upon downloading it, I began to read through why she developed the system (she has an autistic child), then on into the structure of the system, and her educational philosophy.  I did enjoy reading through Sue's opinions because of my great interest in different educational styles and philosophies. I find it very interesting and often inspiring to learn of ways others have taken obstacles and situations to develop and persevere to a place of success in their own situations, then graciously sharing their ideas with others. I am cautious, however, of philosophies not open to change and adaptation, especially in recommending them to others who may be less experienced or learned in adapting programs and materials to individual temperments and learning styles.

     Knowing that Sue Patrick's desire was for her readers to use the program "as is" before trying to adapt to their own families was very difficult. The first step in implementing anything in my homeschool (after prayer and my own research) is to sit my girls down and show it to them, and ask their opinions. They both laughed at the thought of schedule strips with little pieces of velcro to stick off and on things, just as I imagined they might. They both did understand how this might be helpful for autistic or smaller non-readers, though.

      They liked the idea of seperating out assignments and  Mom scheduling them daily. This put more work on mom's shoulders, and less on their own of keeping up with their assignments. Hmmm, seemed to be another step backwards, from the independence they already show and the responsibility they have to me, LOL. 

       As we looked at the pictures of the twelve shoe boxes on the little rack, we all commented on how very messy it appeared to have papers and books folded over sticking out of the little boxes. Another strike against doing it Sue's way, because I've worked diligently on teaching my girls respect for their materials and books. Seemed another step backwards to exchange their neat and tidy crates of materials for messy shoeboxes with papers sticking out everywhere because they didn't fit.

       After our discussion of what we felt might be a good way we could try this system out and which, if any, parts might help us accomplish our goals for our homeschool, we went shopping. We liked the idea of plastic boxes to seperate individual assignments and still leave the texts and larger materials in their crates. I already have most of my schoolwork seperated out into plastic boxes and stacked, such as Levi's BFIAR materials in one box, MATHUSEE manipulatives in another, lapbooking materials in one, preschool letter of the week activities in another. So we figured we could just buy some of those, but we could't find anything big enough for less than 2.50 to 3.50 apiece, and I didn't feel it a good investment for something that wouldn't be long term. So we spent a couple of weeks and several shopping trips discussing and trying to figure out what we could do to use her system as close to she described for review purposes to accomplish the objects she lays out in her User's Guide. One thing I was trying to focus on was using clear boxes and seeing them empty once the work was all finished. My mother was visiting at the time, and she read the User's Guide to help us try and figure it out as well. My daughters and I really enjoyed including her in this project!

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    In the end, we purchased each girl a plastic file box and hanging file folders for assignments. As they complete a folder, they put it in Mom's box for grading, and they can see their empty box when all their work is complete.

    I went ahead and printed off the schedule strips and other basic downloadables from the  website  which we had access to for review purposes.  I didn't really care for the look or format of any of the downloads.

     I simply could not make her schedule work for us. Instead, I printed off several different types of schedules from many different planners and programs, and finally ended up making one myself on Word. This is something I've been going to do for quite some time, but never had the time to work on and figure out. I finally just TOOK the time and did it. I made a schedule for each child and a "together" schedule. I even went on to make out longterm schedules for the subjects that I could to make the weekly schedules easier. I've never gone to this extent before, but after Sue got the organizational ball rolling for me, I just took advantage of the creative juices and got it all laid out for our new weekly schedule. I assigned a color to each child for the schedules and background color on their file folder tabs to quickly identify who I was dealing with.

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So how's it working?

     Well, at first it was hard to take the extra time to sit down and type out  weekly schedules, and switch out individual assignments in folders. It means more copying, more typing out answer sheets for them to fill in, much more time on my part seperating out lapbook pieces and me keeping up with their stuff. But since I only fill their folders on Tuesdays and Thursdays for their "independent" days, it's working out ok. I do feel they are getting things done when they might have used the excuse before that they didn't know exactly what to do or couldn't find something. On Monday, Wed and Friday we do our together subjects, and then go over the things they do independently that need to be reviewed. All in all, it's working out pretty well. But, I must say, it's a long way from Sue Patricks workbox system, LOL.

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Would I recommend this to others?

      Hmmm. Well, yes and no. For those seasoned at adapting programs to fit their own needs, it is a good read. Sue has some great ideas, especially for younger kids and certainly learning challenged students. For those new to homeschooling who are not used to adapting, I believe it could be quite frustrating to feel obligated to use the program "as is", and then deal with the frustration and those scary feelings of failure when some parts don't work. It's a whole heap of work on Mom's part, and for a newbie, this could definitely steer her away from the true joys of homeschooling, which I believe are piling up on your couch or bed with a good book and just spending time together laughing, learning, and praising our Creator. You can't put that in a box.

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 Sue Patrick's Workbox User's Guide ebook can be purchased for $19.00. You can also purchase consulting, supplies, and some package deals on her website., as well as view sample pages and videos.

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         For many families, I know this has been a great program to help keep them going when they seemed to feel lost at sea. For my family, I felt I was trying to fix something that wasn't broken.  Once I quit trying to stick my square pegs into round holes, I found a wonderful springboard of ideas that has helped us start out a new year, in a new house, going in that new direction.

For other reviews and opinions, please visit the TOS Crew  blog.

Chris

Sue Patrick's Workbox User's Guide ebook was provided free of charge to me for review purposes as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My girls and I were introduced to "Geocaching" several years back from a group of 4-Her's putting on a program at a local library. It was a very informative program, and the girls were able to participate in finding a couple of caches. We were inspired by the stories told about the fun hunts, and the examples they brought of some of the cool stuff they had found. We learned that these hunts take place all over the world, and many people go geocaching in new spots on vacations.

It was at that time  we learned that GPS stands for Global Positioning System of satellites, and that these hand held devices can get you within 50 feet of a hidden object, or "cache". This is done by using a GPS receiver to obtain signals from the satellites giving the location of the objects hidden as "waypoints", which are the latitude and longitude  measurements combined, expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds. It is from these waypoints that a cache is  hidden and found.

I immediately signed up on the geocaching website to learn more, and began my quest for a handheld GPS unit. I did finally decide on one some months later, but in the hussle and bussle of moving, we put it away and forgot about it. When my husband was getting ready to deploy to Iraq, he asked if I knew where that GPS had gone, and we soon dug it out and he took it with him.

   When I heard the title "Educaching" from the TOS Crew, my ears perked up. After all the past interest, including obtaining the equipment, I knew what this meant. We were finally gonna get to dive into using that GPS! When I brought this up to my girls, they were excited. Not only do they love new technology, but hunting for treasure outdoors still sounded like a cool idea.

    I received Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers by Jason Hubbard and the SDG Creations Staff as a secured download in pdf form. It is labeled for grades 4-8, but I feel can easily be adapted to most grades and ages.

My copy is 127 pages packed full of:

* Teacher's Training

* 20 Lesson Plans (beginner, intermediate and advanced)

* Field Sheets (lesson templates, teacher maps and student maps for printing)

* Acquiring a GPS

*Beyond the Basics (clubs and further activities)

   I enjoyed reading through the teacher's section. Though I was already a bit familiar with the idea of the GPS , I had never actually used it. I was dreading beginning somewhat, because I knew it would take quite a chunk of time for me to figure the whole thing out,  go through the plans and hide the caches. I was quite inspired by the wealth of information I found here, though. It explains the program and ways to use it very thoroughly, beginning with vocabulary and lingo, taking a tour of a GPS receiver,  kinds of containers to use, and safety.

The manual is definitely geared towards larger groups, and describes 'teamwork' dividing kids up into 5 different "roles", but they can certainly be adapted to less participants.

In this section are some easy-start projects to familiarize you with the procedures and process. These were easy and fun to implement, and suggest beginning with a look at latitude and longitude on maps. My girls picked up the steps of recording and following the waypoints fairly quickly from these easy beginning setups.

The lesson plan pages are very organized and easy to follow. They also show national standard stats for those concerned with or needing that information. The field sheets for each lesson are very neat and easy to follow. I copied a teacher's map and student maps for each before we got started. We scanned through most of the lessons together. The girls really wanted to start with an intermediate lesson "Rain Birds" which also happens to be a sample on the website.  I thought it interesting (and lucky for me!) that they chose the first one to be one in which I did not have to hide caches! Instead, we read about the Story of the Rainbirds of the Zuni Indians, and mapped out different triangles using tent stakes, string, protractors and a tape measure. They plotted the way points on their maps and sketched out the triangles they had made. We learned the secret of the rainbird is in his triangular body which when tilted certain ways mean different things.  After our time outside, we created our own rainbirds inside using construction paper to cut out the different types of triangles we learned about and decorating them with feathers and such to make their own rainbirds. The girls really love lessons on nature and Indians and such, so they didn't seem to even realize they were actually discussing geometry. LOL.

I can see that this curriculum will definitely take quite a chunk of extra time to set up, but for my family will be worth it for a monthly break or so.  In south Texas we are fortunate to have warm weather for most of the year, but it does get quite windy on our hill many days.  We've had many days of blowing rain this fall which didn't allow us to go educaching more than the first few easy-start projects and the Rainbird lesson so far.

One would definitely have to take the weather into consideration in planning when to use these lessons, and scheduling a raincheck day would be a good idea as well .

We love nature walks and outdoor learning, and I think once we do a few of these that the setup time will be less. I would like to include, however, that for those who have never really used a GPS, the time investment will be a large one. Just like anything, however, the time you invest will pay off, because I've never met too many kids who don't LOVE to hunt for treasure outdoors on a beautiful day using some high-tech device!

You can purchase  Educaching for $32.00 (plus S & H and applicable taxes). You will receive a 3-ring binder and CD with customizable templates for copying. You may also purchase it in PDF download format as I received for  $32.00 plus no additional S & H, but I printed the manual off, finding it more useful to refer to in hand.

Happy Hunting !

Chris

This product was provided to our family for review purposes; opinions are my own.

Enter the 19th Century world of Sarah and her friends!

I am delighted to share with you a fabulous series of pre-civil war historical fiction books. I must begin with a word about the author, Jim Baumgardner. He first introduced himself to our Crew in an email, saying he was a 62 year old grandfather of nine children who were all homeschooled. He wrote these stories for them.  "Ok, I'm in," I thought. 

At the bottom of that first email was a copy of a monthly newsletter that the author creates.  As I read through it, I immediately saw a great mix of fun historical facts,  words of wisdom, questions from readers, and more, all put together in the author's delightfully humorous style. I then visited Sarah's Web , finding  more information, some excerpts of the books, and even a section on the underground railroad which is featured in the first book, Sarah's Wish  that we received for review.

Upon receiving Sarah's Wish, I was really impressed by the beautiful artistry and quality of the cover. I was also touched when I opened the cover to find Jim's autograph with a little butterfly sticker. (He'll include an autograph on yours too!) I hid the book out for a couple of days until I had a chance to read it. I knew if I left it out, it would be immediately confiscated and devoured by both of my girls.  I ordinarily just hand the fiction to them, but after doing my preliminary research and seeing the beautiful cover, I knew that beyond that pretty cover was probably something I wouldn't be able to put down until I was finished. And, I was correct. I began reading one evening while everyone was beginning to wind down, and after taking a short break to put everyone to bed, I continued to read and read. I was disappointed that my eyes wouldn't cooperate until the book was finished, but I finally gave in and took a break to sleep, only to find myself waking early to finish the last three chapters.

This is a wonderful book. It starts off with a very sad event, and left me wondering a bit how it would affect my girls, but I soon realized that Sarah's adventures and character development throughout the story really build from the tragedy. She is a precocious, determined , likeable little girl (reminded me a bit of Anne of Green Gables), and I found myself living the story both through her eyes and through her mother's eyes looking down on her, seeing the seeds of faith and hope she had planted flourish despite desperate circumstances.

Upon finishing the book, I immediately ordered the other two.

I really believe these are valuable, wonderful additions to any family library, homeschool study, public school library, regular public library, and reading list. They surely will become favorites of your young ladies (and there is really enough adventure to captivate your boys too), and inspire imaginations as well as good character.

The newsletter is such a great addition to the Sarah books, as it continues to come monthly, giving us a little taste of Sarah's world even after the books are read and put back on the shelves. To subscribe, send an email to:  sarahbooks@cox.net  and enter "send newsletter" in the subject line. You can unsubscribe at any time, but I'll bet you won't.

Sarah's Wish can be purchased on Sarah's Web for $9.99 with free shipping and handling, and author's autograph.

It also comes in audio book form, (4 cd's, approx 4 hours of listening) for $16.99, free S & H.

For excerpts and prices of Sarah's Promise and Sarah's Escape, see the website. He also offers a three book deal for $39.95!

Enjoy your kids, and offer them a wholesome taste of history in a form they can enjoy and live!

Chris

This product was offered free of charge to me as a member of the TOS Crew for review purposes. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc is an ebook and printbook publisher rated for children of all ages (0-12).

Their publishing goals are to: "lovingly create fun, affordable and educational eBook computer & print book experiences for preschoolers and primary age children. And to embed positive, loving and worthwhile meaning into these books."

On the website homepage, Guardian Angel recognizes award winning books, authors and artists. You can also see a list of children's books there.

We received 5 books for review.

Hamster Holidays by Cynthia Reeg is an adorable book full of really cute, whimsical illustrations, each page depicting one of the months. Besides highlighting nouns and adjectives, it also explores opposites. I printed this book off along with the activity pages for my 9 year old to read and work independently. She really enjoyed the story, pictures and many activity pages. We went over the activity pages together which gave her a really great review of nouns and adjectives. She also enjoyed reading this to the 3 year old, who loved the pictures!

This book can be purchased by:

*PDF ebook download for $5.00

*ebook CD for $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

*print book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

Stubby's Destiny 

is a precious award winning book about a little orphaned donkey who has no self confidence, but has big dreams. He looks up to a grand stallion who tries to show him how to stand big and tall, but Stubby just can't seem to get it right. His dreams, however, are always full of hope, and in the end he carries the noblest King of all on his back, with his pal the stallion looking on. A touching and inspirational book full of hope! My 3 year old LOVED this story and the adorable illustrations. (It was my favorite too!)

Purchasing info:

*PDF ebook download $5.00

*ebook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

*print book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

*DVD book video coming soon $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

Andy and Spirit Go to the Fair by Mary Jean Kelso is a story about a handicapped boy who teams up with a special horse to enter a 4-H competition. I loved the references to the 4-H events, as this took me back to my own 4-H  fair days! This is the girls second year in 4-H, so they were both interested in the extra pages of activities about 4-H and wild horses. We discussed handicapped, prejudice, determination, and horse riding skills when we read through this. This book is an award winner too for it's art.

Purchasing info:

*PDF ebook download $5.00

*ebook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

*print book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

*DVD book video coming soon $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

No Bones About It! The Sum of our Parts Series by Bill Kirk is an interesting and educational book. It has great rhymes to remember the bones of the body by, but I must say some "kind-of-scary-looking" pictures as quoted my my younger kids. There are "factoids" inserted on the pages giving some great extra information on the human body, bones, anatomy, etc which we found interesting. They do take away from the rhyming pattern of the text, but we found going through the text first, then coming back and going through the factoids seperate worked well. I wouldn't recommend this book for younger kids just because the pictures are kind of strange looking, and I say that because while most younger children wouldn't be interested in this material, my now 12 year old came to me with one of my anatomy texts when she was just 3 years old and asked me to teach her all the bones of the body. That being said the pictures aren't inappropriate, just kind of strange, so I'd recommend viewing some sample pages on the website first if you're looking for a great way to teach the bones. This is a great book for that!

Purchasing info:

*PDF ebook download $5.00

*ebook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

*print book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

Earthquake! by Susan J. Berger is another award winning book offered by Guardian Angel Publishing. This is a great soundboard for emergency preparedness. It is also filled with fun factoids, although they aren't too distracting in this case because of the illustrated "texty" format, in my opinion. I thought this book was just a fabulous learning tool packed with tons of great and usable information on earthquakes. along with great illustrations. While we don't experience those where we live necessarily, I found myself wishing they offered a hurricane title to match this great little book!

We were absolutely thrilled to receive the August and September Study Guide Editions of Nature Friend Magazine.

This is a creation based nature magazine geared for the whole family. Six of the twelve issues per year are geared for older family members. In the regular part of the magazine there are lots of areas of reader participation including crossword puzzles and pictures to draw, find the hidden picture, as well as poems and pictures submitted by readers.  If you choose to purchase the study guide along with the magazine, you will receive the magazine with a study guide inserted in the center that reinforces what was learned in the magazine as well as bonus features such as "A Study in Nature: a Lesson in Writing", which teaches creative writing, and my oldest daughters favorite part of the magazine which is "The Photo Critique" that teaches nature photography tips.

This magazine is absolutely beautiful, and portrays God's creation in the magnificent way which I believe it was created for. The quality of materials and photos used are great. The articles included in the two editions we received were interesting, but not too long to lose the girl's interest.

I beleive this magazine could be easily used for science/ nature study throughout the school year, especially with the study guide included.

Subscriptions to Nature Friend magazine are $36.00 for one year or $68.00 for two years. The study guide can be added for an additional $2.00 per issue, or $24.00 per year.

This cost is higher than many other magazines we've subscribed to in the past, but I personally believe it's well worth the extra money for the creation-based format, which brings peace of mind knowing that you can hand this off to your children right out of the mailbox and know that they will be soaking up God's creation. We've used magazine subscriptions in the past as gifts, and I'm really excited to add this to my potential gift list! 

You can see samples of some of the beautiful photography and samples of the magazine on the website.

For other reviews, visit our TOS Crew Blog.

Chris

This product was received free of charge to our family for review purposes as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

College Prep Genius Website

In my initial overview review of College Prep Genius, I mentioned our excitement to find a program to help us learn test taking skills.

I must admit once I began really looking through this, trying to find a place to begin, I was overwhelmed by the plethora of acronyms and such. After looking through both workbook and textbooks, I watched the first Dvd. I then asked my daughter and mom who was visiting to look through the information in the workbook and textbook. Both were overwhelmed as I was. 

Once my daughter and I sat down together to go through the dvd with workbook in hand (the dvd goes through many of the workbook pages and questions), we began to realize this would be best done after familiarizing ourselves with the actual PSAT/SAT through practice tests.

I believe this would be very helpful to any student who is serious about excelling at the SAT, or even just test taking in general.

I also was correct in my intial assessment of the program that it would best benefit the user by starting early ( 8th grade/middle school years) as opposed to obtaining and trying to work through it a month or two before one expects to test.

We will continue to use and work through this program at a slow and steady pace, taking practice tests along the way and see where it takes us. I would love my students to have the chance to excel and better themselves as we practice testing and using the information from College Prep Genius.

Right now College Prep Genius is $79.00 (30% off) for the set which includes the "Master the SAT Class" dvd set,  workbook, and textbook.

Read other's reviews here.

Chris

This is a company devised by an educator and homeschool mom of 4 for the purpose of providing homeschool curriculum and guidance without the frustration or expense. There are a wide range of products available, which you can see on the website. Some of these include writing, vocabulary, career planning, and diagnostic and achievement testing.

We reviewed Roots and Fruits which is a comprehensive Greek and Latin based vocabulary program covering grades K through 12.

The neat thing about this program as compared to others I've seen is that it uses English forms of the roots and prefixes with their meanings, as opposed to the classic Greek and Latin forms of the words, which tends to make this much easier to grasp and retain in my opinion.

The program uses 673 roots and prefixes, with 1,716 vocabulary words in all. The program describes a hands-on approach to learning giving many examples and ideas of fun and effective ways to use and study the words.

We enjoyed playing games and making vocabulary cards, as well as utilizing our dictionary and even thesaurus for extra practice.

This program is straight forward with no boring worksheets to  complete or protocol to memorize. It leaves the method of learning in your hands to develop and personalize to your individual student.

The pros of this program are:

*Easy to adapt to all ages

*Straight forward and easy to follow list of English based roots and prefixes with a lot of vocabulary to practice

*Contains 205 of the most commonly tested words on the SAT! 

*Many activity ideas to increase learning

*Very reasonably priced and offered in instant download or 2 printed options

*Can personalize the program for any learning style

Cons:

*Will require preparation and planning on teacher's part

*Might require extra supplies for some activities

*Special dictionaries recommended for most effective results

Bottom line: I would definitely recommend this program to those wishing to increase writing, reading and spelling skills as well as good all around language skills in preparation for college entrance exams and/or careers. This is an easy, straight forward program which is easy to add to any schedule in just 15 minutes a day or so.

Right now the ebook version is on sale for just $11.25! (normally $14.98) You can also purchase Roots and Fruits for $17.48 pages only with no binding, or $19.98 for comb binding. Click here to purchase!

In closing I would like to mention that there is a wealth of information on the EDUDPS website along with free downloads. Spend some time looking around, you'll be glad you did!

Chris

A Journey Through Learning website

For review we received 5 lapbooks from A Journey Through Learning.

We enjoyed looking through Reptiles, Amphibians, Autumn, The Desert and Parables of a King.

Morgan chose to complete the Desert Lapbook. Upon opening our downloaded document, we found "things to know" which explains the mechanics of the lapbook (folding, cutting lines, etc.). Next we found explanations on where the lapbooks go and ideas on how to use the study guide and mini-booklets together, study choices, assembly guide, supplies needed, tips and tricks, then detailed picture instructions for assembly including a completed lapbook.   The next section was the actual pages, beginning with the Table of Contents.

We printed 42 pages for completion of the project.There are 17 study guide pages for review, each having mini booklets to complete.

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Taylor chose to complete Parables of a King.

I printed 77 pages for this one, not including instructions. We enjoyed reading through the study guide pages, talking about the parables, and completing the mini-booklets. Best of all, though, the girls have a colorful keepsake project to look back on and share with others!

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These Lapbooks with Study Guides can be purchased as instant downloads for $13.00, CD's for $14.00, or printed versions for $21.00.

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On the  A Journey Through Learning website, you will find a multitude of other homeschool helps in addition to the huge variety of lapbooks for all ages and subject matter. They have templates and organizers, unit studies, copywork, notebooking pages, and even classes.

If you sign up to receive their newsletter, you can receive "An Overview of the 17th Century" instant download lapbook for free!

I believe this is a website you will want to BOOKMARK and return to time and time again to add creativity and fun as you lead your kids on A Journey Through Learning.

Chris

You can read other reviews by visiting the TOS CREW BLOG!

For review our Crew received a phenominal curriculum by Growing Healthy Homes entitled Nutrition 101: Choose Life!

Point blank, this is a valuable resource that every family should own. In today's fast-paced, fast-food world where convenience is the rule, I firmly believe the physical and mental well being of adults and children alike has suffered in direct proportion to our lack of attention to proper nutrition. 

My mother passed down a great respect for proper diet and nutrition to me, and I have striven to do the same for my own children. My children were reading labels from an early age, and while they might not always know the details of why we don't buy products that contain high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated fats, they have learned that proper nutrition is essential to well being.

Upon downloading this HUGE 448 page book, I was immediately excited to see it divided into 6 units by body systems (Anatomy was my alltime favorite!).

*The Brain and Nervous System

*Digestion and Elimination

*Respiration and Olfactory

*Muscular and Skeletal Systems

*Cardiovascular and Immune Systems

*Endocrine System and Emotions

As I began my overview of this resource, I realized this would not only serve as a complete study for health and nutrition, but a superior springboard for anatomy and physiology as well. I was just overwhelmed by the completeness of details included here. The manner in which this information is linked together to present an all inclusive program is incredible, not to mention it's Biblically based to top it all off!

As we worked our way through all four chapters of the first unit, we enjoyed reading together, discussion questions, activities, many additional resources, trying recipes, and going through the HUGE appendix of seemingly endless charts, tables, and articles to enhance the unit material. My girls were both delighted to find out the details behind why that high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated fat is not allowed in our home!

While a schedule is included on how one may implement a chapter in a week, we'll be lucky to finish a chapter in a month, LOL. This study has taken a front seat in our schooldays, and I've taken the opportunity to elaborate on much of it and just keep running.

I was overjoyed to find my 9 year old in her room writing down the details of what we had talked about that day! We decided to go back and print off things of interest such as colored boxes with fun facts and "good brain foods" and "bad brain foods" and make some notebook/scrapbook-type pages for their notebooks. We will also include recipes and pictures of activities, and some of the charts and cool stuff from the appendix.I know they will enjoy having these to refer back to for years to come.

Our 4-H Food Show is coming up the first of October, and both girls have excitedly modified recipes from the study for their entries. They must know the nutritional details of their recipes as well as food pyramids, etc. I'm just again blown away by God's timing in all this, as they are both working hard to prepare their brains for this adventure- using Nutrition 101 as their reference guide.

To view sample pages of this awesome resource look   here. I believe you will be as impressed as I am with the clean and artistic layout as well as beautiful pictures and illustrations.

To order the CD-ROM ($79.95), hardcopy book ($99.95) or combo book and CD-ROM ($129.95) visit the Growing Healthy Homes website.

If the price of this looks a bit out of your budget at first, I would encourage families to consider the versatility of this program for all ages from young elementary through High School credits, the broad spectrum of subjects covered, and the detail of the material given that can be built upon year after year. It would fit perfectly into a coop or group situation, and I believe it will be a valuable tool in homes for years to come. I sincerely hope it becomes a part of CORE CURRICULUM for students everywhere.

See other Crewmates reviews here!

Go enjoy your kids and help them "CHOOSE LIFE!"

Chris

I blogged about the 4-H Food Show here!!

Our Crew was sent a really neat study-tool for review.

This book holder called the "Studypod" was designed with the student in mind.

First of all it holds most any sized book (thicknesses up to 2.25 " -doesn't hold large textbooks well):

It  has a mesh pouch inside to hold pencils, calculators, and other small supplies:

It's shaped like a book, so it fits in your backpack or on the shelf with your other books (6.75" X 9" X 1.33" closed):

Check out a video on how easy it is to set up and use!

The Studypod comes in three colors: black, blue, and pink. We received the black one for review, and have all really enjoyed using it.

 Some of the things we've found it handy for:

~ reading (although my daughter reads so fast, she found she flips pages too fast to make it useful for some of those intense fiction books she can't put down!)

~ cookbooks

~ holding books open for art lessons such as drawing and painting

~ copywork

~ practicing violin and piano (as long as you aren't having to flip pages quickly)

~ transcribing notes into the computer

 My favorite thing, though, is putting a book we are sharing, especially picture books, on it while we are all laying on the bed. I can read upside down while propped up against a pillow and the kids can lay on stomachs in front of the book and see the pictures or share whatever we are reading. (Yep, you can tell we're homeschoolers!)

I would like to add a personal note that yesterday while I was doing a surgery involving some complicated procedures, I was wishing I had it to prop my surgery book up instead of having to lean over the counter to view it! (I may start packing it with me on my surgery days until my pink one gets here! )

Genio, LLC has also marketed the very same product under the name "Bookpod" after seeing such diversity in the product originally developed as a study aid. It comes in black, gray and beige.

The Studypod and Bookpod can be purchased for $19.95 for a single, or $16.95 each for 2+. Just for TOS Crew blog readers the company has extended a $5.00 discount with use of the code TOSBLOG5 at checkout. These would make FABULOUS gifts for students as well as those hard-to-buy-for folks!

As a final note I'd also like to mention that they have fundraising opportunities available.

Check out the other Crewmates' reviews of the Studypod too!

"Study smarter, finish faster"!

Chris

   As I'm coming to the not-so-willing realization that my kids are growing up, I have been thinking about where we should be going with courses, credits, and college prep.

   I was excited to find on the Crew vendor list this year some test prep material. However, I have to admit that I actually didn't really have the facts straight on the SAT test. I did take it as a High School student, but don't remember much about it because I knew I only really needed the ACT for my college plans.

In my intial overview of College Prep Genius, I was surprised and enlightened:

*I have since learned that the SAT is a test of logic and critical thinking, and not general knowledge.

*I have learned that one should start preparing for this test waaayyy before their senior year.

 *I have learned that the PSAT/NMSQT (which I really didn't even know existed before now) is more than just a practice SAT, but can mean INCREDIBLE SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS if they qualify in their JR. year.

   Got your attention? Yea, it got mine too.

(Especially since I'm still paying for my 9 years of college after being out for 16 years!!)

   This course teaches the logic and strategies behind these tests, and is literally everything you need to know to succeed in obtaining the highest score possible on this test.

   Here is an overview of "Master the SAT class" which is taught by Jean Burk, published author and professional speaker. With over 10 years of experience helping students prepare for standardized tests, she has successfully helped thousands of students improve their SAT and PSAT scores:

1. "Master the SAT Class" is based on the textbook College Prep Genius, which highlights a logical approach to the examination process. The course emphasizes unique techniques to help students find the recurring patterns of standardized exams. Through lecture and discussion, students learn simple strategies to achieving success and using logic to their advantage.
2. The class is designed as a workshop. Each student is given a workbook that includes numerous sample SAT and PSAT questions. As students learn how to answer specific question types, they are immediately given the chance to practice. The logical approach to determining the correct answer for each question is thoroughly reviewed.
3. Although "Master the SAT Class" is only a 10 
hour course, it is designed to give students all the necessary skills they need to succeed in raising their individual test scores, including a checklist for how to continue the preparation process after class has been completed.

   I'm really anxious to dive further into these materials with my daughter, who was reluctant at first, hearing of a "test prep course" until she viewed the website with me. This helped clarify what we would be doing, prepping for, and some of the goals she might be able to obtain through this material. I would suggest spending some time at the website to get a thorough overview of just what this material can do for you. I promise you will be as excited as I am about it!

   For review, we received the College Prep Genius textbook, class workbook, and "Master the SAT class" dvd. This is on sale right now for $79 (30% off!) for a limited time here!

   I'll be looking forward to updating our experience with this course as we progress through it! Don't forget we have lots of other great reviews on this product as well at the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

   Enjoy your kids, they grow up so fast!!

Chris

 Last Fall as part of the TOS Crew I reviewed Aleks math. You can check out my review here.

This year, I was asked to revisit the site and check out the changes, specifically to the Master account. My girls were reluctant to try Aleks again, but after telling them we were to check out the changes, they agreed. There actually wasn't much that changed on the student side of things, but my girls were sure that they had updated the way they explained the problems. Not sure whether a year of math helped out with that or what, but they both really enjoyed Aleks this time around except for the few glitches that Morgan seemed to remember from before. On some pages the answer box never fully loaded, or even loaded at all so the problem wasn't able to be answered, and that was really frustrating again when trying to complete the assessment and she couldn't move on.

Aside from the few technical problems like that, they both really enjoyed Aleks, and said they wish we could add Aleks to our math for the year. Unfortunately, that's not an option financially for us, but might be for other families.

   As for the Master account, I struggled to remember the look of the old interface, but I really like this new one. I think the new one is very user friendly and easy to navigate.

    The "quiz" feature is new, and  seems nice for those who are using Aleks as a sole math curriculum. We didn't really have enough time in review of the program to actually use the quiz feature for my own students, but I think those interested in an online math program would really like it.

I do like the master account for purposes of record keeping, and the pie chart breaks things down by topic to easily see which specific topics they are mastering and still need help on. I liked this feature before as well.

Prices are : $19.95/month for one student, $99.95/ 6 months for one student, $179.95/12 months for one student.

They do offer a family discount.

You can get a free trial if you'd like to check out how it works for your family. Given my daughter's enthusiasm this time around, I really wish it were an affordable option for our family.

Chris

   I remember the first time I opened the template on my brand new blog wondering how difficult it really was to change and add things. I was horrified, to say the least. It looked like a complicated foreign language, and I quickly clicked off of the page as if I'd made a big mistake. Computer training was not a part of my formal education, as they were just coming into college near the end of my schooling. I have tried to pick up pieces of parts of this rapidly progressive technology, and have also prayed for access to materials to help me help my children understand something I just barely grasp.

   My 12 year old has been really interested in computers and figured much out on her own. When I asked her if she was familiar with HTML, she knew what I was talking about (probably more than I did),  but said she would really be interested in learning more. We were both very grateful for the opportunity to review Web Designs for Kids (...and Curious Grown-Ups!).

   When the Dvd arrived, I was intially impressed that no additional software would be needed. The program uses Internet Explorer, notepad, and paint which pretty much every computer comes with. The program is "taught" by it's creator, Brian Richardson, to two preteen kids who follow the instructions to create webpages of their own while interacting and asking questions.

   Some of the subjects covered on the Dvd are:

   *The ten basic lines of code

   *Coloring the background and letters

   *Making letters move across the screen

   *Designer backgrounds

   *Changing fonts

   *Adding pictures

   There is also a bonus chapter on file and folder management.

Created for ages 8-10 to adult (depending on the experience of individual children), this program is for the whole family!

   Right away my daughter and I could see how easy and straight forward this program was. It completely explains things from the very beginning so I don't have to try and think of the right questions to ask. I began to understand HTML quickly, and actually felt excited that I might be able to make sense of this foreign language after all! I'm even feeling a bit motivated to dive into my blog and make a few changes as I have dreamed of doing in the past.

   My 12 year old flew right through the whole program about three times, LOL. She played with several webpage designs, and I would say she has come away with a more than adequate foundation on which she can build her computer skills. My 9 year old is really excited to use this program as well, after her sister began to explain it to her.

   We are definitely ready for Mr. Richardson's next dvd which he hopes to have out the end of 2009.

   This program is definitely for beginners, and would bore those who already have a good understanding of HTML, but is most certainly the ticket for anyone and everyone, kids to adults who want to learn more about HTML and making webpages.

    I also would like to mention that a portion of all funds generated by this product go to five charities, as Mr. Richardson has a deep founded belief in blessings others. His hopes are that Click and Drag Solutions will grow to a point he can donate 100x what he has been able to already!

   I would encourage you to visit his website which, by the way, he designed entirely by typing in code to show how it could be done! You can read about his motivation behind his creation, as well as viewing a free one minute clip of the dvd, and checking out some actual kid-created websites.

   For a limited time, you can purchase Web Designs for Kids (...and Curious Grown-Ups) for $19.99 plus $3.95 s/h with a money back guarantee. Once this summer sale is over, the dvd will resume the regular price of $40.00.

As always, you may read many other Crew Reviews at our TOS Crew Blog!

   Go type some codes with your kids!!

   Chris

   www.Grapevinestudies.com

   I'm all but sure that many of you have the same experience as I with doodles on schoolwork. My daughters doodle on just about every piece of paper that comes before them. Yes, church programs too. When I began reading about  Grapevine Studies , I thought it was just "brilliant" to put together ever-doodling hands and imaginations with learning the Bible. After all, my 12 year old immediately informed me as we were discussing this very thing, that "it's a proven scientific fact that doodling helps keep the mind focused on the task being completed, and it helps stimulate the creativity and aid in the thought process, especially math."

    Why not put those doodles to good use?

   Grapevine Studies is based on "stick figuring through the Bible". As the topics are taught and discussed, the lesson is actually "drawn out" with stick figures. The teacher draws the "model", then the students fill in their timelines and lesson sheets with their own interpretations. No more doodles all over the edges of the pages. Here they are right in the middle of the pages!

   Grapevine Studies has many different studies available. After realizing that my family could very easily do every one of these, I decided to just begin at the very beginning, "figuring" we'll probably move on through them all eventually. You can see descriptions of all of the studies on the Website for information on which might fit your family.

   We received the Old Testament Overview Teacher's manual for levels 3 and 4 (combined) hardcopy, and levels 3 and 4 student manuals as ebooks. Now lest I lead you astray, there is much more to this fabulous program than just drawing stick figures. There are also memory verses, scripture readings, timelines, geography topics for level 3, and reference materials/Bible study tools used for level 4 (concordance, dictionary and topical Bible), making this a very solid and complete Bible study. It's written in such a way that any Christian denomination can certainly incorporate their own beliefs.

    While I originally requested level 3 for Tayt and level 4 for Morgan, they are both really working through 3 and 4 together as they are enjoying all there is to do in these lessons. So far the lessons have taken less than half an hour (remember, I'm dealing with expert doodlers here, LOL) and allow plenty of time to explore and expand on anything that sparks their creative nature.

Since OT Overview starts with creation, I knew they might be a bit hesitant after the novelty of the drawing wore off since this is such familiar territory. They did mention being a bit bored by the first few lessons, but the very first lesson was progessing through the entire OT timeline from Creation through Nehemiah, ending with the 400 Silent years just to get an overview of where we were going, so they knew we would be progressing on further into lessons we haven't studied so much about yet.

This leads me to a personal praise here. We've studied creation and the Exodus, but I've been praying and actually looking around for over a year for a really great Old Testament study to teach along side world history. I can honestly say this is exactly what we needed! 

The Old Testament Teacher's Manual levels 3/4 is $48.95 hardcopy or $24.95 ebook. The OT Student books levels 3 and 4 are $28.95 each in ebook format. I really like the ebook format for the student books because you can print the pages you want as you need them, and even print more at the request of an overzealous doodler. (LOL)

***** Through Sept 15th you can enter the coupon code CREWS to receive 30% off your entire order!!

*****

   One final note about  Grapevine Studies.  The creator of this amazing program, Dianna Wiebe, really deserves a huge THANK YOU for sharing her heart and creativity with us in bringing us this fresh and unique approach to learning the most important subject of our children's academic careers. We are so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community of people like Dianna who have answered their calling to step it up a notch in this crazy-busy world and give our kids something they can build thier lives on. Thanks Dianna!

   For more reviews of this and the other programs Grapevine Studies offers, check out the TOS Crew website!

   Now go DOODLE with your kids!

Chris